Chapter 26: Money
Aiden looked at Celestine. "Sense you have decided that your Kingdom will pay be back"
Celestine nodded. "Yes, we will repair any damage my Knight have done"
Tamamo then pulled out the paper. "Here is Sion calcitonin, there is all the gold and silver coins you guys own us"
Alicia looked at the paper. "It can be so bad.... Never mind we are secrewed"
Aiden couldn't help but smirk at Alicia's reaction as she glanced over the detailed calculations Tamamo had provided. The long list of damages, supplies, and the monetary value of their actions was staggering, even to someone as confident as Alicia.
Celestine sighed softly, her regal composure slipping for a moment. "It seems the damage was more extensive than we anticipated."
Tamamo, with her usual sharpness, spoke up, her tone almost playful. "Oh, it's not just the damage to the village itself. It also includes the cost of Aiden's time and resources. His village has been generous, but generosity doesn't come without its price."
Alicia's face paled as she stared at the sheer volume of expenses laid out before her. "This... this is insane. How could we have caused this much damage?"
Prim, standing beside her sister, winced as she scanned the document. "We really underestimated how much we were affecting things…"
Aiden crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on Celestine. "It's simple. My village is independent, and we've been forced to divert a lot of our resources to clean up after your mess. Consider this the cost of maintaining peace."
Celestine's eyes softened, but her resolve remained firm. "I will ensure that my kingdom honors its debts, Aiden. You have been more than patient with us, and I apologize for the reckless actions of my knights."
Aiden nodded, satisfied with her response. "Good. As long as we understand each other, there won't be any further problems."
Tamamo grinned, her tail swishing behind her. "I'll expect full payment by the end of the month. I'm sure a kingdom like yours can manage it."
Alicia groaned under her breath. "This is going to be a nightmare to explain to the treasury..."
Maia, still recovering from the earlier tension, managed a slight smile. "At least we know we won't be short on work when we get back."
Aiden turned to the rest of the group, his demeanor shifting back to a more casual tone. "Alright, now that we've cleared that up, let's move forward. We still have more important things to deal with than just finances."
With the immediate issue settled, the group began to refocus on the larger threats looming over them. The orc disaster and the unknown forces at play would require their full attention, but at least for now, the village was secured, and their debts acknowledged.
Sion then gave them another note. "This also the price for damage done to the truth temple, the some one Alicia yeated Maia into, lucky for all of you we took 15% of".
Alicia snatched the new note from Sion, her eyes widening in horror as she scanned the details. "This... this can't be right," she stammered, the sheer weight of the numbers causing her grip to tighten. "The Truth Temple? And we only avoided 15% more cost?"
Sion nodded calmly. "Consider yourselves lucky. Our god tends to be very protective of the temple, but we've chosen to offer leniency in this case."
Maia, still reeling from the previous note, glanced at the new numbers and promptly fainted. A small groan escaped her as she crumpled to the ground, unable to process the financial doom that had just landed upon them.
Aiden chuckled, clearly amused by how things had unfolded. "Well, well, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but it seems everything's falling into place. Looks like all of the Seven Kingdoms are officially indebted to me now."
Kin, still staring at the paper, shook his head in disbelief. "And here I thought the previous amount was bad. This one makes it look like a pocket change."
Tamamo, with her usual sly grin, chimed in. "Oh, don't worry, Kin. You should be happy that our god is merciful. Had the temple suffered more serious damage, the price would've been far, far higher."
Alicia, still holding the note, glanced at Aiden with a mixture of frustration and grudging respect. "You're enjoying this way too much."
Aiden gave her a smirk. "You could say that. But business is business, and you're all going to have to pay up eventually."
Celestine, maintaining her grace despite the overwhelming situation, let out a resigned sigh. "It seems we have much work to do upon our return. But rest assured, we will honor this debt, Aiden. You've been more than patient."
Aiden then looked at them. "Now let's talk about the main problem"
Kaguya looked at Aiden. "Yes the Orc's, we were going to discuss if two people didn't allow own problems get ahead of them self's".
She said looking at Alicia and Maia, who looked away, as Aiden just looked at all of them.
Aiden crossed his arms, his expression serious as he addressed the group. "The orcs are not just your problem anymore; they've been causing chaos beyond your borders. We need a proper plan if we want to stop them."
Kaguya nodded, her gaze shifting toward Alicia and Maia, who were still avoiding eye contact. "Yes, the orcs are a threat to everyone. We can't afford more distractions like what happened earlier."
Alicia frowned but remained silent, while Maia simply sighed, knowing Kaguya had a point.
Aiden continued, "The orcs have been more organized lately, which means someone is pulling the strings. We need to find out who or what is leading them. My village has already suffered from their raids, and I'm not willing to let that happen again."
Kin, still recovering from the earlier financial shock, adjusted his glasses and spoke up. "It's possible the orcs have a new leader, someone who's providing them with strategy and resources. We should focus on gathering intel before we make any major moves."
Celestine, looking composed despite the tension, added, "Aiden is right. We must approach this carefully. If the orcs have a leader, it could be someone with power beyond what we've faced before."
Aiden gave a short nod. "Exactly. We need to cut off the head of the beast, not just fend off the small attacks. My villagers are ready to defend themselves, but we can't do it alone. We'll need cooperation from the Seven Kingdoms."
Tamamo, ever calm, interjected with a sly smile. "And while you're all at it, remember: the gods are watching. Failure is not an option."
Alicia, regaining her composure, spoke up, her voice tinged with determination. "Then let's figure out who or what is behind the orcs. We'll stop them at the source."
Maia nodded in agreement. "We've let this problem fester for too long. It's time to end it."
With the tension easing slightly, the group turned their attention fully to the looming orc threat. The time for distractions was over. Now, they would focus on the real battle ahead.
Aiden looked at all them. "I have my Goblin, Orcs, Infernor wolf what do you guys have".
Celestine answer. "Knight from each of my 7 princess knight, Solder of each of the 7 kingdom, and the Kuroinu Mercenary"
Kin adjusted his glasses. "We have about 10,000 or more members in my group"
Aiden looked at and spoke in his mind. "I gess I have pre backed sacrifices to demon lord, Great Sage".
Great Sage spoke in his mind. "The host would like too if this is enough, it is enough".
Aiden looked at them. "And I can trust those Kuroinu, they are big".
Alicia looked at him. "I don't trust almost all men, but Vult is a rare exception"
Aiden can only think poor girl, knowing the dark future they he was going to stop, and take pleasure in as well, why as his mother said no mercy to scum of the earth.
Aiden looked at them. "How big are really the Kuroinu"
Luu Luu then spoke. "Maybe more then all of the 7 kingdom knights combined"
Aiden looked at them. "Oh really"
Truth be told do to meds knowledge he already knew, but couldn't say after all he was not gonna tell them what is his plans really are.
Aiden kept his face neutral, though internally, he was already planning his next steps. "The Kuroinu are bigger than all the knights of the Seven Kingdoms combined? That's... interesting."
He pretended to mull it over, though he already knew exactly how things would unfold. With the knowledge he possessed and the hidden intentions behind his calm demeanor, Aiden wasn't just preparing for a fight—he was preparing for control. These knights, soldiers, and mercenaries would serve his larger plan, whether they realized it or not.
"Still," Aiden continued, "sheer numbers alone won't win us the battle. We need coordination. Each group should have a clear role. I'll handle the monsters, my forces are more than capable of dealing with any major threat."
Celestine, thoughtful, nodded. "You're right. We can't just rely on numbers. Strategy will be key in this. My knights are prepared, and with the Kuroinu and the soldiers, we have a chance."
Kin adjusted his glasses once more, considering the possibilities. "If we use our mages to support your monsters and warriors, we can cover the battlefield. Combined with Aiden's forces, we should be able to break through any orc defenses."
Aiden smirked inwardly. These people were playing right into his hands, discussing tactics, unaware of the layers of manipulation he had in store. He glanced at Alicia, who was still wary, her distrust of men seeping through her every word. But Aiden didn't care. She, like the others, would serve his purposes, knowingly or not.
"We'll need to move fast," Aiden finally said. "The orcs won't wait around for us to gather our forces. I suggest we strike soon, before they can mount a counter-offensive."
Tamamo, standing beside him, added, "And remember, the gods are watching. We should move in divine favor, for victory to be assured."
Aiden looked at the group, a cold determination in his eyes. "Then it's settled. Prepare your forces. We move at dawn."
To be continued
Hope people like this Ch and give me power stones yes Short Ch I know but the next will be longer